For years Maurice Lucas was synonymous with toughness. He was the Portland Trailblazers' enforcer. He was a monster on the glass. He was the guy you dreaded if you were an opposing power forward. These days Lucas is an assistant coach with the team of which he was such an important part. Together with Nate McMillan he is hoping to help the Blazers usher in a new era of greatness, but for now we'll chat with him about an era of greatness that has passed.

"We had Julius Erving, we had Oscar Robertson, Wilt, Jabbar, Elvin Hayes, Dave Bing when I first got in the league. I came in during that era when there was some separation between the era of Kareem and the era of Oscar Robertson."

Tell us about Dave Bing. He had a storied career, but he isn't someone who's talked about very much these days.

"Well, he's a hall-of-famer so somebody must have seen him somewhere (laughing). He was just a fabulous player, real quick guy out of Detroit. He loved to run the ball up the court, had a real sweet jumper, kind of a leaning, hanging jumper that was very effective. Then you go to that team, which had Bob Lanier, who was a young guy coming into his own. You had a guy named Jimmy Walker. He was a great second guard, a two guard who could shoot the ball but also played pretty tight defense. He was actually Jalen Rose's father. You had some guys who were not what you call noted superstars, but they were guys who could truly play the game."

Was there one guy you hated to play against?

Dwyane Wade had 19 points and eleven rebounds to lead the Miami Heat to a 100-79 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Jason Williams added 16 points for the Heat, who were playing without injured center Shaquille O'Neal.
Coming off a big win in Memphis, the Trail Blazers kept it close in the first half, but wilted in the third quarter.

Darius Miles led the Trail Blazers with 19 points.

The much-heralded rookie Martell Webster entered the game midway through the fourth and scored 13 of the Blazers' final 17 points.

Three of the most expensive Trailblazers in the post general manager Bob Whitsitt's era have run their course to fan disenchantment.

Randolph may eventually follow Rahim and Rasheed out of RIP city as another disappointing former franchise savior. Randolph's lack of hustle in the preseason has tried new coach Nate McMillan's patience. Some who understood Zach's defensive downside despite Wallace's help Randolph's sensational season before last wish he had been traded when his market value was higher.

Portlanders long for the days when flash in the pans like pivot Steve Johnson were traded for diamonds in the rough like Kevin Duckworth. But it's fair to say the way things are going, Randolph's trade value compares to Rahim's and Rasheed's...No one for whom to keep the porch light on.

With the turn of the century cast that electrified RIP City now gone for next to nothing, fans here wonder what it takes to be a local general manager when only four seasons later there is almost nothing to show for Rasheed Wallace (traded for Theo Ratliff and departed Shareef Abdur Rahim), Jermaine O'Neal (traded for departed Dale Davis), Brian Grant (traded for departed Shawn Kemp), and (uncompensated free agents)Damon Stoudamire, Steve Smith and Scottie Pippen.

Retirees Detlef Schrempf and Arvydas Sabonis filled out the core of the second of back to back western conference finalists remembered for acquisitions that cost the franchise next to nothing in talent traded. Will happy days ever be here again?

What resemblance do the Blazers today have in common with the champs from almost thirty years ago that put Portland on the pro sports map and initiated the longest sell out streak in league history?

The '77 champs were first constructed by a floor general with NBA Finals credentials: Coach Lenny Wilkens departed the summer before that magical season to command the Sonics bench. Now '96 Finals veteran Nate McMillan changes his coaching duties in Seattle to Portland.

Fans wonder how no long term talent has been returned for the departing big man Rasheed Wallace, who has since experienced two NBA Finals and a title. Fans back then long remembered Moses Malone, who like Wilkins, would leave just before that championship season and also later experience two NBA Finals and a title.

Also, the funny thing about "Big Red", the then vegetarian center Bill Walton, also applies to pivot Joel Pryzbilla, who's last name baffles those challenged to spell it when projected onto the big screen in the Rose Garden.

So no one's expecting much from the team now. No one did then.